The Supreme Martial King Shocking All Realms Chapter 3296 - 3291: Plan, Success!_1

Yang Chen's face turned grave: "Has Miss Qiu Ying been missing this whole time?"

Zhou Yiming let out a heavy sigh: "It's the truth."

Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, Yang Chen responded with resignation: "I see."

He felt a twinge of regret, since he'd targeted Wan Qiuying upon arriving. Rescuing her would have netted him at least 200,000 JiYu Essence and boosted his merit rank by several notches right away.

Yet with Wan Qiuying vanished, that merit reward would drop by more than half.

Zhou Yiming was aware of this too, suggesting their next probe should focus on those Ghost Kings.

While lost in thought, rumbling vibrations echoed from below the earth.

In the instant that followed, Ling Huan Sha and her companions emerged. They were guiding a band of cultivators toward this spot.

Once they arrived, the man surnamed Han locked his gaze straight on Zhou Yiming.

"It looks like the scheme from Brother Zhou and Brother Yang Chen involved snatching the Calamity Sphere to draw in those Ghost Kings," the Han-surnamed man declared.

Zhou Yiming confirmed: "Exactly, that's the plan."

"Since the Calamity Sphere is taken, we ought to pull back from this area," the Han-surnamed man suggested.

At those words, Zhou Yiming shook his head: "Brother Han, I'm in no rush to depart right now. If you all wish to go, you can do so soon enough. Afterward, I'll head back to Earth Spirit Hall alongside Brother Yang Chen and assist in securing your JiYu Essence."

"You!" The Han-surnamed man flared up briefly. He itched to lash out but restrained himself.

Zhou Yiming served as the mission's key figure. Offending him meant no help in finishing the task—what recourse was there?

The real puzzle was, what sort of charm had Yang Chen cast on Zhou Yiming? Why was he suddenly reluctant to exit?

Ling Huan Sha parted her crimson lips slightly and raised her delicate hand, calming the Han-surnamed man's fury, before asking: "What exactly do you intend, Brother Zhou?"

"I plan to stick with Brother Yang Chen until the finish," Zhou Yiming stated firmly.

He yearned to witness whatever astonishing feat Yang Chen might pull off.

With that, Ling Huan Sha glanced toward the rest of the cultivators.

The Han-surnamed man snorted right away: "Hmph, if these two are set on courting death, that's their affair. We're out of here."

Though Ling Huan Sha had first leaned toward departing, she now reconsidered, her red lips parting once more: "Wait, we'll stay put for now."

"Sister Ling, Zhou Yiming's lost his senses—have you gone mad too?" The other cultivators grew restless. Those remaining Ghost Kings were closing in, and fleeing would soon prove impossible. Yet Ling Huan Sha had flipped her decision.

Ling Huan Sha remembered Yang Chen's stunning prowess in slaying the two Ghost Kings before, and noted Zhou Yiming's clear shift in demeanor.

Her intrigue toward Yang Chen deepened.

As for her earlier view of him as some ridiculous fool, she realized adjustments might be in order.

Yang Chen could very well possess something extraordinary.

All at once, she wondered about the unique tactics Yang Chen held to confront the incoming Ghost Kings.

...

As the underground group debated, up above, six Ghost King figures materialized in the skies over Calamity City.

The Boundaryless Ghost Venerables hurried forward to pay respects.

"Hail to Scorpio Ghost King, hail to all the Ghost Kings."

These Ghost Venerables bowed deeply in deference, quaking with dread. They trembled even more intensely before the lead Ghost King.

It was easy to infer that the frontmost one, clad in dark robes with a scorpion tail trailing behind, was the famed Scorpio Ghost King.

Scorpio Ghost King's rank clearly outstripped the others. His presence here left the trailing Ghost Kings unwilling to draw level, forcing them to lag a step back.

His face devoid of feeling, Scorpio Ghost King demanded: "What's the deal with the Calamity Sphere? How did it vanish? Chaos and Purple Mountain, those pathetic fools."

"Lord Scorpio, Lords Chaos and Purple Mountain have vanished as well," the Ghost Venerables reported in panic. They had no clue what had transpired.

Two on-site Ghost Kings gone without a trace, along with the Calamity Sphere—how could that not raise alarms?

Learning these details, Scorpio Ghost King scoffed: "Absolute trash. Humans must have slain them. The Calamity Sphere was likely nabbed via spacetime methods. But standard spacetime talismans couldn't pull that off, so I'm curious about this fresh human trick."

"Lord Scorpio, the Calamity Sphere's loss is a grave matter. Ought we alert the higher-ups?" Two Ghost Kings ventured hesitantly.

"Worthless! Reporting to the superiors nonstop? If the Calamity Sphere's truly lost, accountability falls on someone. Which of you will step up? You push for notifying them but dodge the blame?" Scorpio Ghost King snapped.

The two Ghost Kings shrank back instantly, the mention of "accountability" stirring fears of dire penalties. They refused to endorse it.

"Hmph, too cowardly for blame yet eager to tattle? What's the point of you lot? From the Calamity Sphere's disappearance, I've monitored the Heavenly Dao. No one's escaped this realm, so those culprits remain in the Spirit Fire World. Scour every inch and recover both the thieves and the sphere," Scorpio Ghost King commanded, his presence turning icy.

Those orders spurred the other Ghost Kings into swift motion.

Below ground, Yang Chen watched them covertly via his soul sense.

"Just six showed up..." Yang Chen muttered, shaking his head.

"Give it more time." Zhou Yiming urged.

He appeared composed, but sweat beaded on his brow, his pulse racing with unease.

Yang Chen, unhurried, quietly anticipated the frustration Scorpio Ghost King and his allies would show upon failing to locate the Calamity Sphere.

Roughly half a month passed before the Ghost Kings convened once more. This assembly revealed their growing unease.

Even Scorpio Ghost King's demeanor shifted from cool detachment to faint irritation.

Soon after, Scorpio Ghost King issued directives. A few days on, Ghost Kings converged from every direction, racing to the site.

With every Ghost King assembled, Zhou Yiming's features brightened in delight: "Fourteen Ghost Kings—haha, Brother Yang Chen, perfect timing, they've all been drawn in."

Yang Chen's eyes narrowed: "Fourteen? The full set?"

"Indeed, every last one," Zhou Yiming replied, buzzing with excitement.

At that, Yang Chen grinned: "If that's all of them, excellent. Zhou, stay back and recover here. I'll handle the group down there."

The words barely faded when Yang Chen leaped upward, bursting from his forged separate space to materialize over Calamity City.

The second he exited the space, the Ghost Kings whipped around, sensing him with their souls.

"A human's shown himself..."

Determined not to overlook leads, the Ghost Kings surged ahead and, in a flash, encircled Yang Chen completely.